In the Last Five Years

In the last five years I have had the opportunity to do some amazing things. I moved to Washington State 5 years ago this week and today is a great day to mark the anniversary of my arrival.

In the last 5 years I -

Ran a half-Marathon.

Went to Paradise (and had a snowball fight while I was there).

Wrote 2 novels - one 50,000+ words, the second 100,000+ words (edits are NOT complete yet).

Got a job.

Got a promotion.

Married off a daughter.

Launched another daughter.

Changed cell phone plans (harder than it sounds.)

Changed cell phone plans again (I got it down this time. I have no FEAR)

Dealt with and defeated the Wicked Witch of Stupid Office Politics and Power Mongering (and I got a better job out of defeating that witch...damn I'm good)

Furnished an apartment exactly as I wanted.

Bought a car for $100 - and I've been driving it for 2+ years now.

Sold my truck for good money while it was still a working vehicle.

I have visited my family every year that I have been here. Sometimes they come to me. And sometimes I go to them.

I was named Women's Division Leader at my "house of worship". That was cool.

Broke my ankle.

Took up skiing again (in that order).

I caught a HUGE salmon!

I pulled clams out of the sand.

I held a starfish and tiptoed through Sand Dollar beds.

I went to a parade of Naked Bicylists (three years in a row - I have photos to prove it).

Went to a professional baseball game.

Went to a professional Football game.

I've let Green Frogs sing me to sleep and wake me up in the morning.

I sang to Calliope music.

I rode a Ferry across the Sound.

I drove over the pass in late winter.

I'm going to keep thinking on this. Maybe add to the list. I've done a lot in the last five years. And in remembering all that has occurred lies a happiness that I cannot deny.

Life is good.

Missed Opportunities and Popcorn

I've been out of town for a week. It was nice to get away. We all need that once in a while. I'm glad to be home. I headed to parts south and spent the week visiting with my daughter and the rest of my family. My mother flew in here to the Great Northwet and visited for a day or two first, then we flew together and invaded my brother's gracious home. It was an interesting time.

Twice I sent a text to a friend to see if an invite to join me would be appropriate. Twice the text did not go through. Being so close to the Mexican border cell service is spotty. I took the undelivered messages as a sign that my visit should be more specific toward family. For all the messages that did go through it was telling that those messages with an invitation did not. I send my good thoughts and warm wishes. I have warmer wishes I would sent my friend. But, times are changing in my own little world, whether I mean them to or not. Not everything is up to me. I recognize that. If it were up to me, it would be different.

My youngest daughter will be joining us here in the North Wet in November. I don't know how we will do it but the three of us will be living together in this apartment until we are able to find the home of our dreams. It takes some finagling to bring three dreams together. The emotional/mental/actional ride to combine and mix and settle these dreams will be interesting.

I have five opportunities for jobs waiting for me to apply myself to them. I better get busy. I want any of these jobs more than ever.

Fairytales have been popping out of me like popcorn. I'll butter them up and post what comes out when they are finally salted.

Between contracts

Between contracts - that's code for unemployed right now.

I've decided for Wednesday to go to WorkForce or whatever the unemployment offices are called and sit at their computers and talk to people there. I feel that I have nothing more to offer the contracting agency that I have been working through for the last year...and she has nothing but that one employer to offer me. Making the leap and getting hired on permanent at that one employer is er...difficult and/or undesirable.

I've not been to an unemployment office before...ever. I'm actually a little curious what they could say there. So many of today's population are affected by the "Unenjoyment Office" whether they go to the physical offices or not. I wanna go check it out. I'll always feel I've missed an opportunity to be a part of the larger populace if I don't go. (Yes, I'm one sick puppy)

Report tomorrow. No promises on how interesting this is.